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he commands: Mount up, men, on horses, and a gathering for battle formation. And when these things happened, he says: 7And the valleys will be filled with chariots, and the horsemen will block the gates 8and they will uncover the gates of Judah, that is, they will open them. But "to block" is the opposite of "to open." Yet they did both; for they prevented the besieged from fleeing, and they opened the gates wide to the enemies. And they will look on that day to the choice houses of the city 9and they will uncover the secret things of the houses of the citadel of David. He says they will search out every device for safety and will look around the high houses, reckoning that in this way they will be stronger than their enemies, and they will occupy the citadel of David. And he calls the city Zion. And they saw that there were more of them and they diverted the water of the old pool into the city 10and they numbered the houses of Jerusalem and tore down the houses for the fortification of the wall of the city. Josephus also relates most of these things, having written the Jewish history. For as they saw the city perishing, the leaders of the sedition, having demolished many of the houses, built the Antonia and the temple more securely. 11And you made for yourselves water between the two walls, inside the old pool, and you did not look to the one who founded it from the beginning, and you did not see the one who made it long ago. You would have needed none of these things, if you had called upon my aid; for in an instant I would have scattered the enemies. And in addition to these things he accuses them because, when they should have been mourning and lamenting and propitiating God on account of the magnitude of their misfortunes, they engaged in public banquets and continued feasting, 13saying: Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. And he says that the one who dwells on high and looks upon the humble saw and heard all these things. 14For he says these things are revealed in the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and this sin will not be forgiven you, until you die, said the Lord the God of hosts. And truly it is very grievous and has no pardon for the servants to revel while the master is indignant and to show their contempt with laughter. Here, then, he finished this prophecy; and after this he teaches how they were commanded 15to go into the chamber to Somnas the treasurer and say to him: 16What have you here and who are you here, that you have hewn out a monument for yourself here, and have made for yourself a monument on high, and have carved for yourself a dwelling in the rock? We have found the chambers of the divine temple called pastophoria when interpreting Ezekiel. It is clear, then, that this man, having obtained priestly rank, neglected the divine liturgy, having turned his zeal to wealth and luxury. For this reason he also built a conspicuous monument for himself, expecting to become famous from it. And I think he is called a treasurer as one entrusted with the sacred vessels. Then he threatens him with destruction: 17Behold, the Lord of Sabaoth will cast out a man and will destroy you and will take away your robe 18and your turban and your glorious crown. These things constituted the high priestly adornment. From this it is clear that he was one of the chief priests. And he will cast you into a large and boundless land, and there you will die. Some say that he was captured while fleeing by the Assyrians and was led away as a prisoner of war. And he will put your fine chariot to dishonor and the house of your ruler to destruction. 19And you will be removed from your stewardship, and he will cast you down from your position. Then he makes clear the one who will succeed to his honor: 20And it will be in that day that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah. The history concerning Hezekiah also mentions this man; for he, not bearing the blasphemy of the Assyrian, tore his clothes. He promises to clothe this man with the robe and to adorn his head with the crown and to give him the power and the stewardship. And he praises him as imitating the tender affection of a gentle father and carefully providing for the inhabitants of Jerusalem |128 b| and for the neighbors. 22And I will give the glory of David

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παρακελεύεται· Ἀνάβητε ἄνθρωποι ἐφ' ἵππους, καὶ συναγωγὴ παρατάξεως. Τούτων δέ φησι γενομένων· 7Καὶ φάραγγες πλησθήσονται ἁρμάτων, οἱ δὲ ἱππεῖς τὰς πύλας ἐμφράξουσι 8καὶ ἀνακαλύψουσι τὰς πύλας Ἰούδα, τουτέστιν ἀνοίξουσιν. Ἐναντίον δὲ τῷ ἀνοῖξαι τὸ ἐμφράξαι. Ἀμφότερα δὲ ὅμως ἐποίουν· τοὺς μὲν γὰρ πολιορκουμένους ἐκώλυον φεύγειν, τοῖς δὲ πολεμίοις τὰς θύρας ἀνεπετάννυσαν. Καὶ ἐμβλέψονται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ εἰς τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς οἴκους τῆς πόλεως 9καὶ ἀνακαλύψουσι τὰ κρυπτὰ τῶν οἴκων τῆς ἄκρας ∆αυίδ. Πάσας φησὶ μηχανὰς σωτηρίας ἀνερευνήσουσι καὶ τὰς ὑψηλὰς περισκοπήσουσ ιν οἰκίας , ταύτῃ λογιζόμενοι κρείττους ἔσεσθαι τῶν δυσμενῶν, καὶ τὴν ἄκραν ∆αυὶδ καταλήψονται. Π ό λιν δὲ τὴν Σιὼν ὀνομάζει. Καὶ εἶδον ὅτι πλείους εἰσὶ καὶ ἀπέστρεψαν τὸ ὕδωρ τῆς ἀρχαίας κολυμβήθρας εἰς τὴν πόλιν 10καὶ τοὺς οἴκους Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἠρίθμησαν καὶ καθεῖλον τοὺς οἴκους εἰς ὀχύρωμα τείχους τῇ πόλει. Τὰ πλεῖστα τούτων καὶ Ἰώσηπος ἱστορεῖ τὴν Ἰουδαϊκὴν ἱστορίαν συγγράψας. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἶδον ἀπολλ υμένην τὴν πόλιν, οἱ τῆς στάσεως ἀρχηγοὶ πολλὰς τῶν οἰκιῶν καταλύσαντες τὴν Ἀντωνίαν καὶ τὸν ναὸν ἀσφαλέστερον ᾠκοδόμησαν. 11Καὶ ἐποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς ὕδωρ ἀναμέσον τῶν δύο τειχῶν ἐσώτερον τῆς ἀρχαίας κολυμβήθρας καὶ οὐκ ἐνεβλέψατε εἰς τὸν ἀπ' ἀρχῆς κτίσαντα αὐτὴν καὶ τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτὴν πόρρωθεν οὐκ εἴδετε. Οὐδενὸς ἂν τούτων ἐδεήθης, εἰ τὴν ἐμὴν ἐπεκαλέσω ῥοπήν· ἐν ἀκαρεῖ γὰρ ἂν τοὺς πολεμίους ἐσκέδασα. Ἐγκαλεῖ δὲ πρὸς τούτοις ὅτι, δέον πενθεῖν καὶ ὀλοφύρε σθαι καὶ τὸν θεὸν ἱλεοῦσθαι διὰ τὸ μέ γεθος τῶν συμφορῶν, δημοθοινίαις ἐχρῶντο καὶ εὐωχούμενοι διετέλουν 13λέγοντες· Φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν. Ταῦτα δέ φησιν ἅπαντα καὶ ἑώρα καὶ ἤκουσεν ὁ ἐν ὑψηλοῖς κατοικῶν καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ ἐφορῶν. 14Ἀνακεκαλυμμένα γάρ φησίν ἐστι ταῦτα ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶ κυρίου Σαβαώθ, καὶ οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται ὑμῖν ἡ ἁμαρτία αὕτη, ἕως ἂν ἀποθάνητε, εἶπε κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῶν δυνάμεων. Καὶ ἀληθῶς παγχάλεπόν ἐστι καὶ συγγνώμην οὐκ ἔχον ἀγανακτοῦντος τοῦ δεσπότου τοὺς οἰκέτας τρυφᾶν καὶ τῷ γέλωτι δεικνύναι τὴν καταφρόνησιν. Ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν τὴν τούτου προφητείαν ἐπέρανεν· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα διδά σκει ὡς ἐκελεύσθησαν 15εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸ παστοφόριον πρὸς Σομνᾶν τὸν ταμίαν καὶ εἰπεῖν αὐτῷ· 16Τί σοι ὧδε καὶ τί σοί ἐστιν ὧδε, ὅτι ἐλατόμησας σεαυτῷ ὧδε μνημεῖον καὶ ἐποίησας σεαυτῷ ἐν ὑψηλῷ μνημεῖον καὶ ἐλάξευσας σεαυτῷ ἐν πέτρᾳ σκηνήν; Παστοφόρια τοῦ θείου νεὼ τὰς ἐξέδρας εὑρή καμεν ὠνομασμένας τὸν Ἰεζεκιὴλ ἑρμηνεύοντες. ∆ῆλος τοίνυν οὗτός ἐστιν, ὡς ἱερατικὴν λαχὼν ἀξίαν τῆς θείας κατημέλησε λειτουργίας εἰς π λοῦ τον καὶ τρυφὴν τὴν σπουδὴν μεταθείς. Οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ περίβλεπτον αὐτῷ κατεσκεύασε μνῆμα, ἀοίδιμος ἐντεῦθεν ἔσεσθαι προ σδοκῶν . Ταμίαν δὲ αὐτὸν ἡγοῦμαι καλεῖσθαι ὡς τὰ ἱερὰ σκεύη πεπιστευμένον. Εἶτα αὐτῷ τὸν ὄλεθρον ἀπειλεῖ · 17Ἰδοὺ δὴ κύριος Σαβαὼθ ἐκβαλεῖ ἄνδρα καὶ ἐκτρίψει σε καὶ ἀφελεῖ τὴν στολήν σου 18καὶ τὴν κίδαρίν σου καὶ τὸν στέφανόν σου τὸν ἔνδοξον. Ταῦτα τὸν ἀρχιερατικὸν κόσμον ἐπλήρωσεν. Ἐντεῦθεν δῆλ ον ὅτι τῶν πρώτων ἦν ἱερέων. Καὶ ῥίψει σε εἰς χώραν μεγάλην καὶ ἀμέτρητον, κἀκεῖ ἀποθανῇ. Φασί τινες, ὡς ἥλω φεύγων ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων καὶ δορυάλωτος ἀπήχθη. Καὶ θήσει τὸ ἅρμα σου τὸ καλὸν εἰς ἀτιμίαν καὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἄρχοντός σου εἰς ἀπώλειαν. 19Καὶ ἀφαιρεθήσῃ ἐκ τῆς οἰκονομίας σου, καὶ ἐκ τῆς στάσεώς σου καθελεῖ σε. Εἶτα δῆλον ποιεῖ τὸν διαδεξάμενον τὴν ἐκείνου τιμήν· 20Καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καλέσω τὸν παῖδά μου Ἐλιακὶμ τὸν τοῦ Χελκίου. Τούτου μέμνηται καὶ ἡ κατὰ τὸν Ἐζεκίαν ἱ στορία· οὗτος γὰρ οὐκ ἐνεγκὼν τοῦ Ἀσσυρίου τὴν βλασφημίαν τὴν ἐσθῆτα διέρρηξεν. Τοῦτον ὑπισχνεῖται ἐνδύσειν τὴν στολὴν καὶ τῷ στεφάνῳ τὴν κεφαλὴν δια κοσμή σειν καὶ τὸ κράτος αὐ τῷ καὶ τὴν οἰκονομίαν δώσειν . Ἐπαινεῖ δὲ αὐτὸν ὡς ἠπ ίου πατρὸς φι λο στοργίαν μι μούμενον καὶ τῶν τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ οἰκητόρων |128 b| καὶ τῶν περιοίκων ἐπιμελῶς προμηθούμενον. 22Καὶ δώσω τὴν δόξαν ∆αυὶδ